Astromancy
Millions of years old, from ancient Babylon to modern times, the planets have always symbolized the essential forces of the universe. Equated with the gods, endowed with magickal attributes, and viewed as lights of influence, then and now the planets affect all aspects of daily life. The sun and the moon, which dominated the daylight hours and night skies, were the first “planets” to be associated with the life-giving forces of the elements, seasons, and man’s day-to-day struggle to survive. These two luminaries were credited with the power to control the cyclic process and deified as the source of life itself. As mythology and storytelling evolved, so did the godlike qualities of the celestial bodies, and their ability to control human existence. Besides the sun and moon, the father and mother of the universe, other planetary gods and goddesses began to emerge, each with his or her own individual identity and domain of influence. The sun, moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn (the sun and moon are regarded as planets in this sense) formed the original pantheon of heavenly powers that ruled over the affairs of humans. Each planet was assigned an area of influence that controlled the human endeavours within that realm. For example, the Sun was equated with the Greek god Apollo, and governed strength, self-expression, and vitality, which were associated with leadership, royalty, and government. Learning to use planetary energy makes magickal work easier, since each planet relates to everyday life in some way. Basically, just about everything we do or seek to achieve is subordinate to a planetary force. Magickally, this means that everything in creation responds to a specific planetary energy. Therefore, if you know which energy rules or governs a certain object or event, then you can use the corresponding planetary power to influence it. The more you know about the planets and their corresponding attributes and symbols, the more precise you can be in designing magickal rites. Sun Symbols: Hexagram, diadem, alchemical crucible Deities: Apollo, Sol, Dionysos, Helios, Bridget, Aine, Macha Archangel: Michael Day: Sunday Colours: Gold, yellow Numbers: One or six Metal: Gold Stones: Diamond, amber, clear quartz, topaz Incense: Frankincense, sandalwood Plant: Bay, cinnamon, heliotrope, marigold, orange Trees: Oak, pine Animals: Lion, hawk, bull Qualities: Rulership, Integration, Creativity, Personality, Will Power, Nature The sun is authoritative, creative, courageous, and healing. With its life-giving warmth, the sun is at the centre of existence, and whatever exists at the centre will activate what is at the perimeter. It is primarily associated with will power, activity, authority, and leadership. The sun should be used to acquire self-esteem, attract fame and material success, encourage physical strength and courage, aid physical healing, and assist with political ambition. Moon Symbols: Crescent, cup, silver sickle Deities: Hecate, Selene, Diana, Thoth Archangel: Gabriel Day: Monday Colours: Silver, white, Number: Two Metal: Silver Stones: Moonstone, pearl, chalcedony, mother of pearl Incense: Jasmine, lotus, ylang-ylang Plants: Lily, hyacinth, iris, narcissus Trees: Willow, hawthorn Animals: Crab, owl, vulture, horse Qualities: Responsive, Reflective, Instinctive, Intuitive, Emotional, Receptive There are more myths and legends about the moon than any other planetary body. The moon just seems to ignite the imagination and quicken the mystical senses. Lighting the night sky, the moon allows us to see past reality and into the shadows of night. The moon is receptive, reflects the light of the sun, and governs our physical and emotional responses. Lunar magick works best when it is used to learn control over emotions, create passion, assist with glamour-magick, and increase intuition and psychic abilities. Mars Symbols: Pentagram, lance, scourge Deities: Mars, Volcanus, Durga, Sekhmet Archangel: Samael Day: Tuesday Colours: Red, burgundy Number: Five Metal: Iron Stones: Bloodstone, flint, onyx, garnet, ruby Incense: Dragonsblood, galangal, tobacco Plants: Bloodroot, ginger, snapdragon, nettle Trees: Rowan, ash, pepper tree Animals: Ram, wolf, scorpion, salamander Qualities: Discrimination, Bravery, Drive, Energy, Anger, Destruction Mars is dynamic energy, enthusiasm, and resolution. It rules personal expression, character, and bodily strength. Mars represents action and it induces humans to take risks and to rush into things before thinking. The key image of Mars is force—pushing and shoving to fit with little regard for right or wrong. Under the rulership of this planet we find an instinctive need to lead, to survive, and to clear the path of all obstacles that stand in the way of personal accomplishment. Mars energy should be used to build strength of character, reinforce determination, confront enemies, and win battles. Venus ' Symbols': Mirror, girdle, shell Deity: Venus, Aphrodite, Ishtar, Lakshmi, Bast Archangel: Anael Day: Friday Colours: Green, turquoise, luminescent greenish white Number: Seven Metal: Copper Stone: Emerald, jade, lapis lazuli, chrysocolla, coral Incense: Rose, lilac, violet Plants: Rose, iris, orchid, orris, passionflower, vanilla Trees: Apple, cherry, avocado, fig Animals: Lynx, cat, rabbit, dove, sparrow Qualities: Harmony, Art, Beauty, Possessions, Love, Affection, Lust Venus is the epitome of the feminine mystique, the queen of love and beauty. Venus offers what others cannot, the quality of simple abundance. All of nature responds to Venus and the pleasures she affords. Passion, peace, affection, money, success, and friendships all come under the rule of Venus. Use Venus to arouse the passions of a loved one, create a peaceful environment, acquire money, become successful, and gain new friendships. Jupiter ' Symbols': Thunderbolt, trident, crown Deities: Zeus, Athena, Jupiter, Minerva, Tinia, Marduk, Maat Archangel: Sachiel Day: Thursday Colours: Purple, dark blue Number: Four Metal: Tin Stones: Amethyst, lepidolite, sugilite Incense: Pine, sandalwood, clove Plants: Borage, sage, betony, nutmeg Tree: Juniper, cedar, pine, sycamore Animals: Whale, swan, eagle Qualities: Leadership, Generosity, Opportunity, Experience, Luck, Optimism Jupiter corresponds to knowledge, understanding, good judgment, and prosperity. It rules the concepts of expansion, opportunity, and good fortune. Jupiter is a joyful planet that promotes abundance through realistic effort and hard work. One thing that Jupiter helps people do is to change their attitudes from a negative to positive. Once the attitude changes, so does everything else, because if you have a positive frame of mind you can accomplish just about anything. Use Jupiter to attract wealth and great riches, build dignity, acquire wisdom and make good judgments, improve moral values, increase financial health, and expand knowledge and understanding of religious and philosophical concepts. Saturn Symbols: Scythe, key, double axe Deities: Saturn, Kronos, Hera, Kali, Net Archangel: Cassiel Day: Saturday Colour: Black Number: Three Metal: Lead Stones: Onyx, obsidian, jet, hematite, apache tear Incense: Patchouli, Myrrh Plants: Belladonna, hemlock, ladyslipper, yew Trees: Beech, yew, elm, ebony, cypress Animals: Goat, spider, goose, bat Qualities: Slowness, Responsibility, Hard Work, Pessimism, Research, Endurance Saturn is the planet of stability and restriction. Its energies test our balance and endurance. In some ways Saturn symbolizes time, which, with its ravenous appetite for life, devours all its creations. Saturn, like time, brings restlessness, the sense of duration lasting from the moment of stimulus up to the peak of satisfaction. Saturn is slow, deliberate, disciplined success. Use Saturn to improve concentration, discipline a lazy mind, become better at work, and motivate yourself. Each one of the seven planets produces a different energy field or vibration that can be used to enhance magickal operations. By incorporating this energy into your magickal works, you increase their effectiveness. For example, a love-drawing ritual would have tremendous impact if it were timed to coincide with the vibrations of Venus. Likewise, you would greatly reinforce a personal success spell by doing it on a Sunday and taking advantage of solar energy. In addition to timing, try to include some planetary symbolism in your magickal rite. Want to give that protection spell a big boost? Plan to do your spell on a Saturday night. Use three black candles and patchouli incense, and include three pieces of jet in the work. If time permits, make a black bag in the shape of bat to carry your protection symbols in. The more refined your spells are, the better, and faster, they will work. Mercury Qualities: Communication, Intellect, Reason, Adaptive, Perception, Expression Archangel: Raphael Uranus Qualities: Hidden depths, Originality, Inspiration, Revolution, Science, Change Neptune Qualities: Occult, Mysticism, Psychism. Hallucinations, Visions, Delusion Pluto Qualities: Mysteries, Secrets, Transformations, Regeneration, Obsessions, Wealth Zodiac The cardinal signs – Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn – are so-called because when the Sun moved into these signs, it marked the beginning of a new season – spring, summer, autumn and winter. People born under a cardinal sign manifest this as a desire to initiate and to take command of people and situations. The fixed signs – Leo, Taurus, Aquarius and Scorpio – are signs entered by the Sun in the middle of a season. People born under them exhibit stability and a tendency to continue in a predetermined path. The mutable signs -Sagittarius, Gemini, Virgo and Pisces – mark the time when the seasons are about to change. Those born under them are correspondingly versatile and ready to compromise. Aries, the Ram Date: 21 March to 20 April Ruling Celestial Body: Mars Colour: Red, white, pink Status: Cardinal Element: Fire Qualities: Energy, love of action and perseverance. Impetuous, yearning to lead and conquest. Loyal and Quick-tempered. Use: For all matters of the self and of identity, for rituals of innovation, courage assertiveness and action Taurus, the Bull Date: 21 April to 21 May Ruling Celestial Body: Earth Colour: Green, pink, red, yellow, turquoise Status: Fixed Element: Earth Qualities: Steadfast, reliable, practical. Limited outlook and interests, prone to stubbornness. Honest, but won't take advice. Use: For rituals concerning all kinds of material matters and security, also for patience and caution if the way ahead seems hazardous. Gemini, the Heavenly Twins Date: 22 May to 21 June Ruling Celestial Body: Mercury Colour: Yellow, silver, green, red, blue Status: Mutable Element: Air Qualities: Agile, versatile and adaptable. Easily bored, can’t concentrate for long. Friendly, but doesn’t pay attention. Use: For spells concerning communication, learning, choices, adaptability and short-distance travel. Cancer, the Crab Date: 22 June to 22 July Ruling Celestial Body: Moon Colour: White, green, brown, silver Status: Cardinal Element: Water Qualities: Sensitive and protective, and homely. Easily hurt and moody, also clingy. Imaginative, but jealous. Use: For spells concerning the home and family, especially for protection and for gentle love and friendship. Leo, the Lion Date: 23 July to 23 August Ruling Celestial Body: Sun Colour: Gold, orange, red, green Status: Fixed Element: Fire Qualities: Extrovert, magnetic and born leaders. Impulsive, dramatic and opinionated. Reliable, but outspoken. Use: For rituals for courage and leadership, sensual pleasures and love affairs. Virgo, the Maiden Date: 24 August to 22 September Ruling Celestial Body: Mercury Colour: Grey, green, pale blue. Status: Mutable Element Earth Qualities: Perfectionists, efficient and methodical. Discriminative, hypochondriac and shy. Generous, but also critical. Use: For spells to increase efficiency, for bringing order to a chaotic situation, for self-improvement and for healing. Libra, the Scales Date: 23 September to 23 October Ruling Celestial Body: Venus Colour: Royal blue, light brown, black, blue or violet, turquoise Status: Cardinal Element: Air Qualities: Balanced, loyal and artistic. Indecisive, restless and afraid of the new. At best patient, at worst hate arguing. Use: For rituals concerning justice and the law, for balancing options and priorities relationships, harmony and reconciliation. Scorpio, the Scorpion Date: 24 October to 22 November Ruling Celestial Body: Pluto Colour: Black, red, brown, burgundy, scarlet Status: Fixed Element: Water Qualities: Passionate, Analytic, and intuitive. Hypersensitive and broody. Determined but overdramatic. Use: For increasing second sight, for passion and sex, secrets, inheritance and for claiming what is rightfully yours in any area of life Sagittarius, the Archer Date: 23 November to 21 December Ruling Celestial Body: Jupiter Colour: Dark blue, purple, gold, red, orange, yellow, amethyst Status: Mutable Element: Fire Qualities: Adventurous, generous and confident. Impatient, boastful and impulsive. Humorous, but untidy. Use: for optimism, fresh perspectives, long-distance travel and house moves, creative ventures and expanding horizons. Capricorn, the Goat Date: 22 December to 20 January Ruling Celestial Body: Saturn Colour: Red, black, dark brown, brown Status: Cardinal Element: Earth Qualities: Ambitious, hardworking and thrifty. Reserved, worry and can appear cold. Efficient, but moody. Use: For ambitions, perseverance, matters concerning officialdom, loyalty and for the acquisition of money. Aquarius, the Water Carrier Date: 21 January to 18 February Ruling Celestial Body: Uranus Colour: Light blue, dark blue, green, indigo, electric blue Status: Fixed Element: Air Qualities: Humanistic, broad and progressive. Eccentric, impartial and outrageous. Sincere, but impatient. Use: For independence, friendship, creativity and for detachment from emotional blackmail. Pisces, the Fish Date: 19 February to 20 March Ruling Celestial Body: Neptune Colour: Aquamarine, royal blue, white, green, mauve, sea green Status: Mutable Element: Water Qualities: Romantic, intuitive and imaginative. Hypersensitive, dependent and dreamers. Compassionate, but delusional. Use: for spells to develop spiritual awareness and intuition, and for divination, especially involving water and the fulfilment of hidden dreams. In magick, it tends to be the old rulerships that are used in spells Information Source A Solitary Pagan